What are some benefits to being an investment banker?

Question

Besides the good $$ money, what are some benefits to being an investment banker? Do they get free stock trading, free insider knowledge, a lot of vacation? Anything? Other than the money it seems like it's very high stress.

Answer 1

Free stock trading?  Are you kidding?  Do you really think that with the money these guys make, they worry about a $10 commission?

Of course they get insider knowledge.  They make the insider information,  Investment bankers ARE the insiders.

A lot of vacation?  Sure.  It's called a permanent vacation.  If they go on vacation and don't do the email, phone calls, cell calls, faxes and conference calls that they would if they were at work, they will come back and not have a job.  With what the customers are paying, if a corporate treasurer calls and is told, "your investment banker is on vacation", he's going to take his multi-million dollar fee and be on the phone with his NEW investment banker in ten minutes.

Answer 2

Haha ted knows what he's talking about/

The only benefit is the money and the career opportunities following a few years of work.

What kind of benefits can you expect when your working 80 hour plus weeks

All you have time to do is go to work and sleep, and you dont even get a lot of sleep most the time.  

If you are going to attempt to become an IB be ready for 120 hour plus weeks, and that is no exaggeration.  

But after 5-10 years it's very easy to move onto a board of a large company and possibly become a CEO.  

(not many people are investment bankers for more than 10 years, they either retire on their multi million dollar nest egg or move on to other things like stated above)